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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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¨^«/%@§### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### AND A GIFT SHOP. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### CONSIDERED POOR. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## SOME ARE SHATTERED. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### %% ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## %% %% ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ««««««« % % ««««««« ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## %% %% ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### %% ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### LIT FROM BEHIND. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### %% ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## %% %% ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ««««««« % % ««««««« ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## %% %% ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### %% ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## FLOOR. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## BECOME STILL. ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## %% ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### %% %% ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ««««««« % % ««««««« ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### %% %% ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## %% ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ###§@%/«^¨
¨¨^«/%@§## ##§@%/«^¨¨
¨^«/%@§### I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ###§@%/«^¨
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